Why is the Provence region of France so popular

Asks Esme Harrison

A. Provence is one of the most popular areas in France because it is so beautiful, and despite the influx of tourists every year, the landscape remains unscathed. Geographically it is surrounded by the River Rhone, the southern Alps and the Mediterranean and houses Europe's greatest canyon, the Gorges du Verdon. It is also home to the Cote d'Azur, one of the most affluent coastlines in the world. The countryside is infamous for its light that has drawn many painters including Van Gogh and Picasso to paint there. Paul Cezanne was also born there (in Aix).

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Q. Can you recommend any places to visit

A. Although geographically Provence includes the Cote d'Azur region, it is known and loved more for its countryside, its Roman villages, its fruit production and its vineyards. Some of the best places to visit include Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Orange, Vaison-la-Romaine and the Camargue region.

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Avignon: Avignon is an amazing medieval town that is so full of history and old buildings that it can be overwhelming. It is well preserved even though it is overflowing with tourists in the summer months. The town in enclosed by medieval walls that hide many monuments and statues and a multitude of decorated buildings and churches.

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One of Avignon's main attractions is the papal palace, Palais des Papes, which is absolutely huge and houses two wonderful mosaic-covered churches the Chapelle St Martial and the Chapelle St Jean. You can also visit the famous bridge Pont d'Avignon that still displays four of its original 22 arches. The Place d'Horloge is very atmospheric and full of market stalls, bars, cafes and restaurants and is where most people hang out in the evenings. The world famous Festival d'Avignon takes place in July and features theatre, music, exhibitions, street theatre, dance and many lectures.

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Aix-en-Provence in central Provence is located 25km from Marseilles and is a very beautiful town. The old city is remarkable and easy to find. The Vieil Aix quarter is full of narrow little lanes and little squares that you can easily get lost in, but as these are full of markets, cafes, bars and shops, you tend to spend a lot of time here anyway. One of Aix's main attractions is the Church of Madeline that is home to many paintings by Rubens. The Cathedrale St Sauveur is another good place to stop and admire the architecture; it dates back to the 15th Century. Aix's most famous son is the artist Paul Cezanne and you can see his work at the Musee Granet (where he used to study�- it used to be an art school) and visit his home at 9 Avenue Paul-Cezanne.

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Arles: is a very laid back and picturesque town full of secluded squares and fantastic Roman architecture. Its main attractions include Les Ar�nes, an enormous Roman amphitheatre built in 1AD. Another of the city's Roman relics is the Th��tre Antique, which provides an ideal setting for open-air dance, film and music festivals in the summer.

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The Mus�e de l'Arles Antique depicts the Roman influence on Arles with fantastic sarcophagi, mosaics and sculpture. The Cath�drale St-Trophime is famous for its carved doorway, which depicts the Last Judgement, it dates back to the 12th Century. The Musee Reattu houses some works by Picasso he donated to the museum. Arles was also home to Vincent van Gogh, and many of his paintings depict the surrounding countryside.

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Orange: Today Orange is best known for its festival and its impressive Roman theatre. The Roman theatre dates back to 5BC and is the best example of such a structure that remains standing today. It is best to view the theatre in its entirety from St Eutrope Hill. It also has its own Arc de Triomphe in the north of the town that was built in 20BC. Its old town area is very quaint with lots of fountained squares, courtyards and old streets.

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Vaison la Romaine: although floods destroyed much of the old town in 1992 it still contains some of its old monuments and buildings that include its Roman bridge and castle. Its main attraction is two excavated Roman residential districts that lie on either side of the main thoroughfare Avenue General de Gaulle.

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The Puymin excavations (on the eastern side) contain a theatre, a colonnade and several old mansions - plus a museum that houses all the artefacts that have been unearthed. The La Villasse excavations on the other side have dug up a massive street with incredible pavements and gutters that are all intact.

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Another attraction here is the nearby Mont Ventoux, which can be ascended on foot via the road, which climbs all the way to the top (no buses will take you to the top, however) or via paths at Les Febriers or Les Colombets and is probably best known as one of the obstacles for cyclists in the Tour de France.

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The Camargue area is located south of Arles and is famous as a breeding ground for bulls, used in bullfights in the area, the bull-fighting season runs from March to November. Its most famous spot is the town of Saintes Maries de la Mer where gypsies honour their patron saint, Sarah. Her saints' day is 24 May and if you visit then you'll see some great street processions.

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Some other places worth visiting if you are touring the area are the Luberon, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Apt and Gordes.

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Q. What is the best way to travel around the Provence region

A. By car is very easy as the roads are great and very well sign posted. Alternatively, the French train system is the most extensive, and some would say the best, rail system in Europe. Trains are operated by SNCF and their trains are clean, comfortable, fast and punctual which is very refreshing if you're used to travelling in the UK, you can actually enjoy a train journey in France!

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Aix, Avignon and Arles are on the major national train routes so you can reach the area quickly from any other area of France, and smaller branch lines span out from these stations.

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Q. When is the best time to visit

A. The summer months are the hottest and most crowded, visiting during the autumn is highly recommended as the weather is mild and the streets less busy.

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By Karen Anderson